davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

Mr.. George Foster, the Dominion minis
ter of fisheries, who is making a tour OF
the coast and fishing grounds to thor
oughly familiarize himself with the prac
teal phases of the fishery question is
quoted as saying that 1.-The American
catch this year as we'll as last being very
small, our American cousins are entirely
dependent upon our markets for their
mackerel." He added:
If American fishermen follow the in
structlons of Admiral Luce they will do
all That Canada asks or expects them tC
do. We don't make a business of supply
ing American vessels from the banks with
necessary provisions to continue theiI
homeward voyage. The dictates Of hU
III tnlty will not allow us to refuse the e.
cessitles of life to a vessel in absolute
want, but we don't intend to encourage
them to remain on the banks fishing until
they run out of almost everything, and
then come in and get supplies to continue
their voyage home. That is not our idea
at all.
Whenever an American vessel enters
port and absolutely needs anything not
specially specified by treaty the collector
or commander communicates the fact to
the department at Ottawa, whence
emanate instructions in regard to each
particular case, which is considered on its
merits. | have come in contact with a
large number of our people, and they are
very much pleased with the protection
service. | find growing sentiment that
in the end we shall be far better off with
our inshore fisheries protected than we
were with free markets under the Wash
ngton treaty. Instead of being mere
catchers of bait for Americans to fish in
our waters, whose methods destroyed far
more fish than they caught, thereby de-
stroying our valuable ground, our fisher
men are doing their own fishing, readily
selling their products in the American
market and in spite of the duty, reaping q
high profit.
Mr. Foster apparently was not asked
how much better off the Canadians would
be in the end, if the duty on fish was made
prohibitory; or if American ports were
closed to Canadian vessels but he may
yet come to have an opinion on that point.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

When the electric current is turned on,
some dark night, and all down the vista
of the long streets the lamps CLEAN out
with their white, penetrating light, the
beholder gets some faint idea by way of
the senses of the splendor of mental
revelation. The same sort of asensation
comes over the mind when a great truth,
or great possibility, breaks upon the
mental vision. We can imagine the
luminosity surrounding and pouring
through the souls of those apostles of
science whose convention in New York, has
just closed, when Prof. T. C.. Mendenhall
announced to the mathematical section,
and through the press to the convention
and general public, that he had discovered
formula by which he could ascertain
the standard probdbility curve for any
lao OF guessing The magnitude of this
discovery may not appear at first thought.
But consider it a moment We are as
sured by mathematical scientists that
there is a law governing the occurrence of
purely accidental things. Nothing, that
is to say, ever happens by accident, but
every event and every act is controlled by
some law of nature, however Indirect or
remote its application. This law once
firmly established-and we do not know
that it has ever been called in question by
scientsts-it follows that, if the method,
/. G., the formula, of its application can be
discovered, mankind will be able to deter
mine beforehand, by mathematical cdlcu-
lation the outcome and result of known
events This is so evident that the mere
statement of it is sufficient.
The practical applications of this new
principle, in the domain of fortuitous
events, occur to the mind in the most
startling and bewildering forms, For in
stance, it will do for the art of gambling
what modern ordnance has done Cor the
art Of war-eNtinguish it, With the out
come of all events perfectly understood
beforehand, the element of chance will he
eliminated, and the gambler, the pool and
book maker, even the dealer in stocks
and futures" ike Othello, will lose his
occupation There will be no more bet
ting mt bail games, for all that is neces-
sary to determine whether Hennessy will
reach first base or O'Hoolihan will muff
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

THE WEEKLY FREE PRESS, 3 cents per
copy, 80 cents for three months, Sl.OO for six
months. $500 year, postage free.
Advertisements and subscriptions received
at the Office 1S9 College street. Full advcr-
tisrg rates sent on application.
Accounts cannot bc opened for subscrp-
tione. Subscribers viii please remit with or
der names are not entered until payment is
received, and all papers are stopped at the end
of the time paid for.
Remit ances at the risk of the subscriber
unless made by registered letter. or by check
or postal order payable to the Publishers.
The date when the subscription expires is or
the address label of each paper, the change OF
which to subsequent date becomes receipt
for remittance. No other receipt is sent un
less requested. The receipt of the paper is {
suficient receipt for tho first subscription.
When n change of address is desired, botl
the old and new addresses should be given.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

The statements of the loss of life by the
accident on the Toledo and Peoria rail-
road vary widely, rs they are apt to do in
reference to such catastrophes The
railroad officials say that eighty seven
were killed and that three more will die
The correspondent of the New York 1rt-
bunc telegraphs list of 1876 persons
killed and the wounded exceed 100, some
of whom no doubt will die. With regard
to the theory that the train was wrecked
by incendiaries, in order to get chance
to rob the passengers, correspondent of
the New York Times charges that it was
invented to cover the delinquency of the
railroad officials. He says:
The "bridge" at which the accident
occurred was nothing but a wooden cul-
vert twelve feet long, over little ditch
which could have been built new for a
few hundred dollars-and with this
shameful lack of provision the men re-
81 onsible for it set up ptiful theory that
incendiaries fired the bridge and wrecked
the train in order to rob the passengers.
Late on Wednesday afternoon, accord
il. to Roadmaster Ennis, men were out
burning the grass along the track to pre-
vent fires starting, but did not burn any
within half mile of the bridges. The
| bridge itself was examined by these men.
| 1t il probable that the examination con
sisted in a glance at the structure to see if
it was then on fire or not. Seven hours
later the culvert, blazing with flames,
| gave way under the excursion train.
For seven hours not n train had passed
over the structure. Then it was made to
| do duty for an Outra9eouSly heavy eXcur-
sion train. There had been no rain fol
weeks aud the country was IA dry as tin
der. A strong wind was blowing. 1t was
a very simple thing for the grass around
the culvert to eaten fire and ignite the
structure-so simple that until the rail
road people themselves began to hint al
incendiarsm nobody thought of anything
| but prairie fire. In fact, there Is no hing
to show that the bridge was set on fire.
The theory of the railroad people thai
there was an organized band of robber:
who began their work the moment the ac
cident occurred is equally absurd. There
were robbers and there was robbery--S
good deal of it no doubt. But the rob
| bers were eXcursiOnists, and the stories OF
the robberies are greatly exaggerated.
Anybody who had $3.50 was at liberty tC
| 90, and there were sneak thieves anc
pick pockets on board. They began theil
work before the train reached Chats
worth.
1t is probable that professional thieve:
joined the excursion that they might ply
| their trade. Those who were uninjureC
| began business as soon as the wreck Oc
Cured. 1t WAS very dark, two oil lamps
alone furnishing light after the burning
culvert had been eXtnguished. Instances
are reported of thieves grabbing Wat ches
! and other valuables before they crawled
! out of the broken cars themselves. several
| bodies were taken from the train with
| pockets turned inside out. There was un
| doubleday robbery, but that it went so fa1
As cutting off fingers to get ring or tear
| Ill, ,-,I 30 n.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

There is no particular reason why Dan
Lamont should not buy controlling in
terest in the Albany Argus, if he wants
to, He is a newspaper man born and
bred, and it would seem to be nobody's
business if he chooses to amuse himself
outside of office hours as the presidents
secretary with the light and fascinating
employment of pen and shears. Yet the
rumor that Mr.. Lamont had relieved eX-
Secretary Manning of his argus property
has raised cyclone IN political circles.
But many an ADLER and richer and more
influential man than Daniel Lamont
owns a newspaper, and still the world
manages somehow to wag.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

A Tribune correspondent mentions the
facts that in addition to the salary of the
president, which as everybody knows, is
$50, 900, his private secretary, clerks, mes
sengers doorkeepers, steward, tiremen,
etc, cost for salaries, 1873, 1854; for the
contingent expenses" of the executive
office the sum of $4,000 is provided; for
"care, repair and refurnshing the execu-
tive mansion" $4,000 per year is granted
by Congress, to be expended az the presi-
dent may direct his fuel costs $1,000 per
annum for care of greenhouses there is a
regular annual appropriation of $1,000.
Last year there was an extra appropria-
ton of $4,000 for the repair of the White
House conservatory. Thus it costs from
$1,000 to 81 900 per annum to supply the
president with flowers. OF course great
many are sent to the families OF dlgna-
taries with whom the president and Mrs.
Cleveland maintain social relations. The
total expenses of the executive mansion,
last year, including the salaries OF the
preside and his official staff, amounted
to SllG364.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

in right field, will he to take Prof. Men
denhHl's little formula and tablet and
figure it ont in advance. Guessing will
become a science rather than an art a
few moments mathmatical agony, and
we shall know to r whether this or that
shall be the event in which we are
Immediately or remotely interest
ed. Wonderful discovery Newton's
law of gravity dwindles into in
significance beside MendenhalPs law
Of guessing. Newton was only able
to tell us that, should we by any mis-
chance become dslodged from an orchard
tree, we should fall to the ground. Men
denhall can tell us whose will he the Or
chard, when we shall fall, and whether
we shall break our necks or fall into the
jaws of the dog Marvellous foresight
The world stands with outstretched
hands, pleading for that formula.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19
An extra number of the Bulletin CnnnL

An extra number of the Bulletin Canal
du Interoccdnique contains report
prepared by NJ. de Lesseps himself, which
shows that down to June, 1886, the point
reached by the report, the loans received
by the Panama Canal company netted
sl54 sos, OS2, and the Indebtedness assumed
amounted to sl97, 500, $50. Out of these
enormous sums it would appear that
about 500, 600, 900 has been spent for actual
canal cutting, and some $40, 1000 for
plant and stores The remaining sum of
I slO5, 900 600 and more went for financing"
for interest and sinking fund, for "sun-
dries" and for "otlice expenses" NJ. de
Lesseps further admits that after all this
profigate expenditure, there may be in
the mountainous backbone of the isthmus
not yet pierced tremendous obstacles
which no human effort can overcome 1t
is no wonder that the latest canal loan
realized only half that was expected from
it and it is pretty plain that the collapse
of the enterprise is only question OF time
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

The argument for protection of Ameri-
can industry is unwittingly given in a
nutshell in the following opinion of an
English free trader in the Nineteenth Cen
tuTy. Let every workingman read it;
The only advantage we have over the
United States is, as | have said, that we
have cheap labor and because of our
cheap labor, and that only, can we send
into her markets raw material and manu-
factul ed goods despite her heavy import
duties. The import duties of the United
States, however, are being gradually, but
surely, lowered, and sheis tending toward
the adoption of free trade. When the
United States adopts free trade or any
thing approaching it, the price of labor in
America will come down.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

A doctor of divinity and a doctor of
medicine thus disagree on the subject of
alcohol, in the current number of Home
knowledge. Says the eminent physician,
Dr. Hammond of New York:
Alcohol is a true food which nourishes.
warns and strengthens. 1t retards the
decay Of the tissues and the diminution of
fat, increases the assimilative power of
the system, stimulates the alimentary Sc
cretiopns, slightly quickens and strength
ems the pulse, diminishes wearrine >. cures
sleeplessness, calms nervous excitement
retards waste, and facilitates digestion.
Says the distinguished clergyman, his
opponent:
Alcohol is devil-rooted and evil-plant-
ed tree. 1t has existed and fiourshed
for thousands of years. 1t has struck its
roots deep down into the very heart of
civilized life it is nourished by the rich
blood of thousands of annual victims it
is watered with the copious tears of num-
berless wives and children, mothers aud
sisters, widows and orphans; it is waving
its death bea ing branches far and wide
over the families of our fatherland a; it en-
chains the senses, drugs the reason to tor
pitude, throws up the reins to the mad
dened passions to rush headlong on their
unbridled course; it gathers under its pes
tilential shade thousands of its deluded
victims, etc.
II alcohol be the former, the experience
of mankind shows that it is also the latter.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19
a Condensed Speech.

Gen. Boynton, the Washington cores
pendent of the Cincinnati Commercial,
condenses Mr. George William Curtis's
five-column address to the Civil Service
Reform association into two-thirds of a
column, after the following fashion
Fellow reformers: Notice, if you
please, the Grape on my arm and the tear
in my eye. Grover Cleveland has gone
back on us, and regret to say there has
been very significant change in the
civil service" Hence these tears and the
Grape. The "boys" have moved in on us
like an overwhelming flood. The classi
fed service has not been extended to
chiefs of divisions, though we humbly
sought for this crumb on Bonded knees.
OF 5S, 900 chief offices the "bulles" have
got away with all but 10000, and as to the
presidential postoflices, of 2400 less than
400 remain rs spared monuments, and
our reformer president is rapidly upset
ting these. The machine has gobbled
every collector OF internal revenue, and
and snatched all but 10 of the III coliec-
tors of customs baldheaded. OF l,00C
cross-road postotlices, there is little lett to
cheer reformers except the lonely graves
of former occupants In justice to the de
partment it should be said that for sever
al months the health of the first assistant
was not vigorous. If his good right bat
tle-aXe arm had been in usual order there
would have been nothing whatever to
cheer us but graves. Practically, | re-
peat, the professionals have cleaned out
the amateurs, and for the present, al
least we seem to be totally done for.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19
The state Grange and the Incr-Statct
Hearing.

Hearing.
We print, in another column, the petit
ton OF the state grange to the governor,
to appoint counsel through whom their
case may have hearing before the inter
State commerce commission at Rutland
on the first of September In case the
governor does not decide to grant their re-
quest, we understand that they intend
to appeal to the people of the State for
voluntary contributions.
We are told that a representative of the
grange called upon Senator Edmunds for
his assistance in presenting the case, and
that upon stating the inability of the
grange to secure counsel, the senator said
that he would make no charge to the
farmers and grangers of Vermont for argu.
ing the case, provided they had good
counsel to prepare the same, for which
duty he had no time to spare
Hon. Kittredge Haskins of.Brattleboro
has already begun the preliminary work
for the grange, but owing to the limited
time it is said that but few points can be
presented
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

ed the good name of the college. Now
Prof Sprague has written u letter to the
present head of the college, DR.. G. G..
Stratton, threatening that unless he re-
tires from his present position certain
scandalous charges brought against him
by woman while he was preaching in
Oregon will be revived. OF course, the
trustees are in fever of excitement at
this new development, and general excite
ment prevails. 1t is too bad that the
prospects of this once fourishing institu-
ton should be thus clouded.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

Mr.. Henry Laboucbere, the English
sensationalist, says of the effect of lawn
tennis on the female figure
| observe that a great many of the la
dies who play, and more especially the eX-
pert and practiced players, are as crooked
as rams horn. feel sure that all the la
dies in England will write to me to say
that they are not lopsided; but | say that
they are so to my own naked, but heaven
knows, most respectful and modest eve,
and if this evidence be not sufficient then
| will appeal to their dressmakers and
tailors. | maintain that the right shout
der of the average female athlete, how
ever otherwise charming, is about two
inches broader than the left, that the
body inclines preposterOusly and to my
sympathetic mind most painfully TO the
right side, that the right arm and fist Il
apologize for this word, but it is the only
appropriate one,) are those of a black
smith, while the left arm resembles the
drumstick Of the chicken of German
table d'hote.
This is in England. No such dreadful
effects have been observed in this coun-
try, where, to be sure, we have very few
"female athletes"
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19
Church Worship.

The Rev. Smith Baker, who is bright
and helpful writer for the religious press,
as we'll as successful minister, has re-
Gently been in Paris, and in one of his let
tiers from that city he compares church
services there and in America. "We," he
says, "have lifted the sermon above the
service" This is no doubt true of all but
Episcopal and Catholic churches. The
majority of American church goers attend
service on Sunday not so much for wor
ship as to "hear the preacher" So many
pulpits approach more and more
in character the lecture platform.
The preacher is the centre of the service,
and man is honored by the assemblage
rather than God. The eloquence, the cul-
ture, the learning, even the outward APP
pearance of the man who stands in the
pulpit determines whether or not people
will go to "his' church. This ought not
so to be. If the chief object of the church
service is the worship of God, it is little
less than blasphemy to convert it into a
mere expression of admiration for an
eloquent and attractive speaker. 1t
would be better for all if the service in
many churches We're less centralized
around the preacher and the sermon if
the congregation joined more fervently
and general in the ordinances of wor-
ship, ana if, on the part of the preacher
there were more effort to instruct and up
lit and less effort to please by studied
oratory and brilliant intellectual sallies.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

There is project to tunnel the Rocky
mountains, Troys peak, about sixty miles
west of Denver. The height of the noun
tain is about IA 200 feet, and the length of
the proposed tunnel is said to be about
25, 900 feet, or little less than five miles.
1t would, therefore, be somewhat longer
than the Hoosac tunnel, and not much
more than half as long as the st. Gothard
tunnel which exceeds nine miles in
length. This tunnel, it is claimed, would
shorten the distance by railroad across the
continent some fifty miles.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19

The presidents vacation trip number
two has been definitely arranged. He will
have Washington the last week in Sep
TENDER and so to st. Louis, probably by
way of Indianapolis He will spend two
days at St. Louis and go from there to
Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, st. Paul,
Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City, Mem
phis, Nashville and Atlanta, reaching the
latter place IN time to meet his engage
ment for October IS, and as his fixed APP
continents will preclude any divergence
from, the route all invitations outside of
it will be declined
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19
st. John RcdiViyuS.

Mr.. st. John of Kansas, after having
subsidized for two years, once more
comes to the front, and takes the field as
the candidate of the prohibtory party for
the approaching presidential campaign.
b ut he is far more modest than OF yore,
for now he is only ready to claim that the
prohibtionists will carry the presidential
election of 1892. The party, he says, is
growing rapidly, and is growing at the
expense of the republican party This is
true to large extent. Mr.. st. Johns fur
Their inference, that his party will soon
rival the republican party in dimensions,
| by no means follows from the admitted
premises
The temperance issue forms no such
basis for national party as the slavery
issue did and it would be a calamity to
the country and to the temperance cause,
if the nation should divide ON that issue.
Temperance, and prohibition as the most
effective method of restraining the liquor
traffic, should have the support of good
men of all parties. To organize politi-
cal temperance party is simply to make it
certain that half the votes, and probably
more than half-will be organized in
support of rum.
| The best thing the prohibitionists can
do would be to give up ali idea of putting
a separate ticket in the field, during the
coming campaign, and join forces with the
republicans to break the grip which the
liquor dealers are getting upon political
power under ademocratic administration.
The Toledo Blade which is one of the
strongest temperance papers in the coun-
try, does not believe in third party, and
states IFS reasons why. Among other
things 1t says;
Prohibition is gaining constantly. 1t is
covering greater area OF country every
year. This growth is not because of any
thing the third party does, for it, being in
so great a minority, is not able to do any
thing. What, then, is the Use OF IA third
party, if the nation is steadily being won
for prohibition by non-partlsan methods
This question answers itself, But po-
litical prohibition party is worse than
useless 1t is already, and will prove to
be still more so, "A positive hindranoe to
the temperance cause.
strong effort is being made to induce